Nanoparticle-based laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometric analysis of drugs and metabolites

J Food Drug Anal. 2018 Oct;26(4):1215-1228. doi: 10.1016/j.jfda.2018.07.001. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Abstract

Nanoparticle-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) is a powerful tool for the analysis of a wide range of molecules. Many of the drawbacks in the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) can be avoided with the application of nanomaterials as matrices as well as substrates for the LDI-MS to achieve a low background noise in low m/z region and high reproducibility. Surface-assisted LDI (SALDI)-MS, especially the nanoparticle-based LDI-MS, has emerged as a promising technique for the analysis of trace amounts of substances in various biological samples due to their high surface area for analyte enrichment, efficient desorption/ionization, and homogeneous crystallization of sample. Therefore, it is highly useful in clinical, forensic, medical, food and drug analyses, disease diagnosis, and various other fields. In this review, we briefly discuss the application of various nanomaterials, which include metal-based, carbon-based, silicon-based nanomaterials and nanocomposites, as matrices and substrates for LDI-MS based drug and metabolite analyses and possible detection strategies. Also, we discuss the idea of using "mass tag" for signal amplification for drug and metabolite detection using nanoparticle assisted LDI-MS.

Keywords: Drugs; Laser desorption and ionization; Mass spectrometry; Matrix; Metabolites; Nanoparticles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / analysis*
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations / metabolism
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / instrumentation
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization / methods*

Substances

  • Pharmaceutical Preparations

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan under the contracts 104-2628-M-019-001-MY3, 104-2622-M-019-001-CC2, and 103-2627-M-007-002-MY3 and by the Center of Excellence for the Oceans, National Taiwan Ocean University from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan.